


Apraxia Only Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

by athiker10



Series: And all with stories to hide [1]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Military, Brain Injury, Community: sabriel_mini, M/M, Marine Corps
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-19
Updated: 2012-10-19
Packaged: 2017-11-16 14:27:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 17,336
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/540436
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/athiker10/pseuds/athiker10
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What happens when the one night stand you're sort of in love with comes back from Iraq with a life altering injury?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Apraxia Only Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

**Author's Note:**

> I would very much like to thank both my betas, Jonjo and Queen of the Universe for their hard work. Without them this story would be awful. All mistakes, etc are my own and not theirs.
> 
> This was written for the Sabriel Mini Bang 2012
> 
> Art is by Pipariperho from LJ and she is probably the most amazing human being ever. The art is simply stunning. [Pipariperho's art](http://pipariperho.livejournal.com/89463.html)

[ ](http://s641.photobucket.com/albums/uu139/pipariperho/?action=view&current=apraxia2.jpg)

Gabriel was sitting at his favorite bar, watching the bar tender flip through the drink orders, tossing tumblers and shaking bottles. Mikael would do almost anything for a larger tip. Just like every week, he’d tried to get into the man’s pants, but no such luck. Mikael apparently didn’t favor short men with dirty blonde hair. Gabriel scowled into the beer he’d ordered ten minutes ago. 

_Get the fuck up and walk away,_ his internal voice yelled at him, pausing only when the door squeaked. Gabriel glanced away from his slowly warming drink, wondering… He froze, staring at the gigantor walking through the doorway. He had a really short haircut but Gabriel had a feeling he’d look better with shaggy hair, like a moose. But still: the broad shoulders, the legs that went on forever, the giant hands (which surely meant a big-ahem), the soft questioning brown eyes... Holy shit, he was looking back at Gabriel, the warm eyes crinkled slightly. Gabriel flushed and turned back to his drink. No way had he had a chance with a man like that. He knew he was decent looking but he wasn’t hot, not with his height (or lack thereof) being what it was and his face was just average; he had this on good authority. 

“Hey,” a low voice sounded near his ear. Gabriel whipped his head around to see the Sasquatch balancing on the stool next to his. His eyes were warm, mouth tilted in a half smile. There was a small chain necklace disappearing into his dark t-shirt. He forced himself to drag his eyes away from the hint of pectorals below the loose t-shirt, up to the smiling eyes staring at him. 

“Hello, Sasquatch,” Gabriel said, nodded. He kept his face straight, despite part of his brain screaming in horror that he’d just called the prettiest man he’d ever seen Sasquatch. Who did that? Oh wait. He did. All the time. _But not with hot men_ the little voice in his head protested.

“Close enough,” the man snorted and shrugged. “Sam Winchester,” he added after a short moment. 

“Gabriel Novak” he extended his hand, slipping it into the one Sam proffered and shaking heartily, enjoying the slide of calloused skin against his smooth skin. 

“What can I get ya, handsome?” the bar tender was leaning on the counter, a wicked little smile twisting his lips.Gabriel frowned, knowing that the bar tender would get his hooks in Sam, and he’d just lost his only chance. 

”Ah, um, whatever’s on tap. Wait... no get me what Gabriel’s got. And another for him too.” Sam shrugged and grinned over at him. Gabriel blinked. Was he oblivious? 

“Coming right up,” Mikael said as he glared briefly at Gabriel. Gabriel grinned. 

“So. What d’you do, Gabriel?” Sam was looking over at him, brown eyes warm, a slight smile on his face. 

Gabriel could do so many things to a man with a smile like that. Not that he had in ages, no, it had been him and his left hand for the longest time and frankly he was tired of it. After a moment, he realized that Sam had asked him a question. He flushed.“I’m, uh, a Pediatric nurse over at Scripps Memorial.” 

“What’s that like?” Sam touched his shoulder and Gabriel was pretty sure he was about to melt into a puddle. 

“Here’s your drinks,” Mikael pushed the drinks over the counter. Gabriel’s sloshed over the edge, dripping messily down onto the napkin, soaking it. 

“Uh, okay,” Sam said, frowning as the bartender flounced away. He dug a bill out of his wallet and shoved it over towards Mikael. The bar tender flounced away and Gabriel snickered. 

“What was that about?” Sam frowned and Gabriel couldn’t believe it but the man was just as attractive.

“The man flirted with you and you ignored him to talk to me.” Gabriel shrugged, but couldn’t keep a straight face, snorting at the memory of Mikael’s speechlessness.

“And?” Sam looked bewildered. 

“Well, uh... he turned me down earlier. So um...” Gabriel realized he was presuming things. 

“He doesn’t sound like a very nice guy,” Sam said with a shrug. “You’re much more interesting.”

“I’ve barely said a thing!” Gabriel protested, surprised. 

“I’m a Marine, I can read people. You’ve got a brain under there. Bartender seems rather vapid to me.” Sam shrugged. Gabriel froze, wondering momentarily if Sam was there to bring him back into the _fold._. “Anyways, your job?”

“Oh. Yeah. It’s brilliant,” Gabriel smiled, as he remembered the little four year old who was getting over a serious infection running screaming through the halls, laughing her head off. “Heartbreaking, but just amazing. The kids, they’re just amazing. I could go on forever, but I really don’t want to bore you, kiddo.” Gabriel watched Sam. He seemed like he was telling the truth and Gabriel was _good_ at reading people, had a way with seeing what was under the surface, seeing what other people missed. It was why he’d been so valued (and honestly, probably why _they_ hadn’t tried to convince him and Castiel to come back in a manner such as this before. 

“I don’t think you could bore me, when you give me a new nickname every thirty seconds. I can hardly keep up,” Sam laughed before taking a sip of his beer. “This is a good beer. What is it?” 

“Mandarin Nectar from the Alpine Beer Company. I like my craft beers,” Gabriel said, sipping his as well. “So, uh, you’re a Marine?” 

“Yeah.” Sam shrugged. 

“So, uh...” Gabriel frowned. 

“What am I doing in a gay bar?” Sam said, humor lacing his voice. “Just because I’m a Marine doesn’t mean I’m automatically straight.” 

“Uh, no. Sasquatch, I live in San Diego. Obviously.” Gabriel rolled his eyes. “Just, you don’t seem like the bar type.”

Sam blinked, grinning slowly. “If I’m like you say, not the bar type, what do you say to getting outta here?” 

Gabriel blinked. “I was ready to go with you when you walked in the door, bucko.” In response, Sam grinned, grabbed his hand and threw a tip on the bar before pulling him out of the door. Gabriel followed, smirk in place as he glanced back at the bar tender and fluttered his fingers in goodbye. He could hardly believe this was happening - he came in for a quick drink and to mope about never sleeping with Mikael and he was leaving for what? A one night stand? With the hottest man he’d seen in months. As they slowed down in the parking lot, Gabriel realized there was another plus. The man had an Impala. A black Chevy Impala. The first muscle car. It was gorgeous. 

“You mind? It’s a rackety old car, but my I swear my brother’s in love with this thing.” 

“You’re calling her old? She’s a thing of beauty, kiddo.” Gabriel slid into the car, laughing slightly as Sam rolled his eyes at him. He glanced down at the handle he’d just used to pull the door closed. There was something there. “Is that an army man?” He pulled at the little plastic figure.

“Don’t!” Sam’s voice was sharp and Gabriel glanced up in confusion. Sheepish would be the proper adjective to describe his face. 

Gabriel raised his hands away from the little plastic figurine. “Sorry!”

“Sorry, it’s just... Uh, my dad used to own this car and I got that stuck there one time when I was a little kid. It reminds me of when my brother and I would play here.”

“Hey, hey, kiddo, it’s ok!” Gabriel grinned. “You seen Avatar?”

Sam blinked and Gabriel winced. That had been a rather abrupt change of topic. But. Well. Family. And they were only _maybe_ going to be fuck buddies. Not life partners or anything. 

“What? No. I was, hmm... I was in South America, I think.” Sam trailed off, eyebrows scrunched as he turned the car down a side street. 

“Since when does a whole continent not show the biggest Cameron movie since Titanic?” Gabriel paused, frowning. “Wait. Please tell me you’ve seen Titanic.”

“Nope. My brother was sorta raising me and money was tight.” Sam shrugged. 

“You have no idea what you’re missing. Wow. I’ll just have to...” Gabriel cut himself off and looked out the window just as they passed three stumbling drunk college girls. “Wow, how drunk were those girls?”

“Have to what, Gabriel?” Sam glanced over at him from the steering wheel, undeniable amusement all over his face, ignoring Gabriel’s last question.

“Describe every last plot line in detail to you. Consider it punishment for this car ride being so damn long.” Gabriel snarked. 

 

***

“Nice digs, bucko" Gabriel looked around at the spartan rooms Sam had brought him back to. He didn't know how he was saying all of these things to this beautiful man and having the man laugh. Sure he was like this with everyone, but he only had a few friends: Castiel, his far-too-serious tax accountant brother at heart, Pam his co-worker and Balthazar who could be just as outrageous as Gabriel himself. He knew his sense of humor didn't appeal to most, but what he really couldn't... "Gabriel!"

"Huh?" He jerked from his reverie.

"You sure you want to be here? You looked far away." Sam had arched an eyebrow at him, hands crossed over his expansive chest.

“I, uh...” Gabriel fumbled for words, his cheeks heating up in what he knew was a mottled pink. Ah, screw it. He stepped forward into the man's space and stood on his tiptoes, looping a hand around the taller man's neck to bring him down for a fierce kiss. There was a startled grunt, but the man returned the kiss enthusiastically, large hands framing Gabriel's face, thumbs moving slightly on his cheekbones. Gabriel shivered. 

It had been so long. _So long since he'd been with someone and_ \- Sam bit lightly down on his lower lip, trailing fingers down, down to his neck and tracing his collar bones as his mouth whispered across Gabriel's cheek. Gabriel moaned, shoving one hand up the front of Sam’s shirt, exploring the strong contoured muscles and fisted the other in the soft cloth of his shirt. He tilted his head back, allowing for further access and barely noticed as Sam maneuvered them through the apartment. At least until he nearly fell backwards onto the crate and plywood sheet that stood in as a coffee table. 

That brought them to a stop as Gabriel overbalanced, landing against Sam’s chest with a quiet ‘oof.’ He looked up into the dark eyes that were laughing and apologetic at the same time. “Guess I don't know my apartment as well as I thought I did." Sam shrugged and Gabriel nearly purred at the feeling of sliding muscles against his chest and hands. Sam's hands slid down to his sides, nails scratching slightly through the cotton of Gabriel’s t-shirt before he tightened his grip and lifted. Gabriel couldn't help it, he yelped, arms flailing and landing on the taller man's shoulder, legs coming up to grab his hips and... oh. Oh! That felt good. That...it was unbelievable, the sensation of his pelvis, his erect cock being pressed into the muscled abdomen of the man carrying him, stumbling, into the bedroom. He dropped his head into the crease of Sam’s neck, moaning as he rocked his hips. 

Sam growled and then Gabriel was on his back, Sam crawling over him, long arms, muscles bulging planted on either side of his head. Gabriel grinned, feral in his desire. It might have been a long time, but it didn’t mean he'd forgotten all his tricks. He hooked a leg around one of Sam’s and flipped them easily. He purred as he bent down for a kiss, hands unbuttoning Sam’s shirt, Sam trying to pull his shirt off at the same time. Gabriel fell off to the side laughing as he did. “Patience young Jedi," he mumbled into Sam’s mouth before breaking away to pull his own shirt off. Sam's eyes were hooded, black with desire as his fingers made quick work of the buttons left closed on his shirt, half sitting up to pull it off. Gabriel brushed a hand down the man's chest. “Er...which...” Gabriel flushed, trying to think of a cool way to have 'the' conversation.

"I tend to top, but... I mean...if you're..." Sam flushed as he broke in quickly. Gabriel grinned, shaking his head.

“...Usually a bottom. You got condoms and lube?"

“Mmm yes. Bedside table. When we get there.” Sam had an easy smile on his face, hands reaching for Gabriel, pulling him close and Gabriel smiled as lips covered his own. It was slow, despite the urgency he’d felt earlier. Hands lingered, teasing. Gabriel moaned as Sam finally, finally! started unbuckling Gabriel's pants, pushing them open before removing his own. Gabriel thrust his hips forward, his cock only covered by the thin fabric of his boxers and nearly whimpered as it came into contact with Sam’s gorgeous cock. The man hadn’t bothered with boxers. He wriggled and kicked his pants off, hands wandering up Sam’s chest. He smiled, dipped his head down and tasted the man's chest. He tasted as good as he looked. Gabriel moaned, low in his throat. That was when Sam’s wandering hands finally reached his ass, finding his hole, teasing, pressing in slightly before sliding away. 

Gabriel bucked back, whimpering. He could hear a drawer open as he reached down, grasping their cocks and stroking them simultaneously, the friction sending, overwhelming him. He continued stroking, feeling the vibration of Sam’s chest as his breath hitched. Gabriel moved up the taller man's body, capturing his lips, promising, promising, what he wasn't quite sure. He moved, meaning to return to the pleasure blinding exercise of thrusting against Sam’s cock. Sam's hands stopped him, his voice low, “My turn, lover boy." Gabriel looked up at Sam’s face. Gabriel felt Sam’s breathing hitch as he uncapped the lube, spreading it on his fingers; Gabriel couldn’t look away, dark flames of anticipation and arousal flaring around him. 

Gabriel smiled, wriggling in anticipation. Sam pushed him onto his back, and Gabriel went willingly, catching his breath at the play of muscles as the taller man knelt in between his legs. He leaned over him to steal a kiss as Sam slipped a finger slowly, tantalizingly, into him. Gabriel moaned at the pressure building and the pleasure spreading through him. He pressed down, down onto the man's hand, wanting more. It seemed like millennia before Sam added a second finger and finally a third. Gabriel's cock felt fit to burst, pre cum trickling out. “Damn it Sam,” he glared down at the man. "I need you in me."

Sam laughed. “Your wish is my command." Gabriel heard the condom roll on with a snap, watched as Sam lubed his cock and felt his fingers, covered in lube, circle his hole. Gabriel bucked up into the pressure, closed his eyes in anticipation and then Sam was over him, cock pushing in, inch by torturous inch and Gabriel’s eyes flew open; he couldn’t look away from the sight of Sam biting his lip, his expression changing slightly every time he moved. Sam’s eyes flew open and they stared at each other, something deep and scarily intimate passing between them. And then Sam started moving.. He moved as if he had the grace of a ballet dancer, smooth and beautiful. Gabriel threw his head back and moaned at the sensations, scratching his nails down Sam’s back as the man held himself over Gabriel, circling his cock with his enormous hand, stroking him higher. They were so, so close. Gabriel sighed, and Sam pushed harder, brushing against his prostate and Gabriel felt himself flying apart as the larger man's rhythm faltered and halted as his orgasm hit, his eyes boring down on Gabriel's locking their gazes together, as their breathing slowed. 

Gabe wasn't sure if it was minutes or hours before Sam slid out of him, discarding the used condom before sliding back next to him in bed. Gabriel smiled languidly. So the man was a cuddler. He could definitely handle that. 

“That was the best sex I've...” Gabriel cut himself off, not wanting to scare the marine, "...had in a really long time." He grinned as he tapped fingers across Sam’s muscled abs.

“Same back at ya," Sam said with a sleepy smile.

Gabriel laughed. “Dude, you're in the marines, you have an excuse!"

“Yeah, I guess I do at that." Sam reached over and ruffled the shorter man's hair.

Gabriel shook his head, smiling. “When do you ship out again?"

Sam's smile slipped off, a slight frown replacing it. "Tuesday. Well, I gotta be on base Monday night. I'm free ‘til then though." Sam pulled Gabriel a little closer, running his free hand over his buzz cut.

“Looks like I'm gonna have to call in a couple 'a favors and get off work tomorrow and Monday. See if we can't move from ‘best sex in a while’ to ‘most mind blowing sex ever’." Gabriel waggled his eyes suggestively as Sam looked at him, shocked for a moment before bursting out into peals of deep laughter. Gabriel ignored the pang - this was a one-time thing. He was going to rock this Marine’s world for two days and then walk out of his life.  
"Sure thing, Casanova." Sam smiled sleepily. He pulled the man closer, closed his eyes and started snoring lightly almost as soon as Gabriel had settled himself into his arms.

******

Gabriel wasn't quite sure if there was any part of his body that wasn't sore. He was pretty sure his toes felt normal, but he couldn’t say for sure. He smiled as he wandered into the tiny efficiency kitchen where Sam was wearing low slung pajama bottoms as he tossed pancakes on a griddle. Going by the clock on the wall, it wasn’t breakfast time and the man was leaving for the base in a couple hours, but Sam had gotten it into his head that Gabriel needed something to eat made by him and pancakes were the first thing Gabriel’d thought of. Well, maple syrup was, but he wasn’t about to have Sam look at him in disgust for practically drinking the stuff on its own. 

“Well, if that’s not a sight for sore asses,” Gabriel remarked. 

“I’m...” Sam looked up from flipping a pancake.

“Don’t apologize.” Gabriel shuffled over and pushed himself up onto the free counter near the stove. He chuckled. “Never thought I’d get a stud muffin like you for a weekend,” he murmured, studying the play of muscle rippling below Sam’s skin as he poured pancake batter onto the skillet. 

“Don’t say things like that,” Sam frowned. 

“Why?” Gabriel leaned over and snitched a piece of an already finished pancake. “S’true,” he mumbled around the mouthful. 

“But it makes me out to be…better than you and that’s not true.” Sam made a different face, a bitch face, Gabriel had to call it. 

“Course it is. You’re tall. And studly. Like a muffin.” Gabriel grinned at him and leaned over, groping the man’s pectoral. “I have to say, I’m definitely going to miss these pecs when you leave.” 

“Gabriel…” Sam slanted his eyes over at him and Gabriel grinned, hiding the slight shock that Sam was still fighting his self-deprecation. 

“Now, now, no fighting with your one, well two-day stand” Gabriel said, tapping Sam’s nose. 

“About that...”

“What? I don’t do long distance. I think I mentioned at that.” Gabriel frowned, wondering where this was going. He snitched the other half of the pancake and Sam hit him with the spatula. “Ow!” he yelped, shaking the hand after he shoved the pancake in his mouth. “At ‘urt!” 

“That’s for stealing breakfast before it’s ready!” Sam shook the spatula at him. “And, well... This is my last tour.” Sam looked up at him, the glance brief before he looked away, shoulders tensing.  
Gabriel frowned. “And?” he asked before he could think better of it.

“Well...” Sam scratched at his shoulder absently. “Just, I know it probably won’t happen and you’ll have found someone... but I think we have something. And... well, maybe when I get back we could...” 

“Date?” Gabriel frowned. “Why would you want to do that? I’m...” Gabriel broke off gesturing at himself. “I mean, I know I’m not hard on the eyes. But look at you. And you’re a Marine!” Gabriel fidgeted, uncomfortably. He wasn’t going anywhere near the other reasons. 

“Gabriel, you’re a...” Sam rolled his eyes as he flipped the last of the pancakes onto the warming plate and flicked the stove off. “Look, we’re both adults and I’m making it clear that I’m interested. In seven months, I’ll call up and ask for a date. If you’re still available, I hope you’ll consider going on a real date with me, ok?”

Gabriel grabbed his wrist with his right hand, pressing his thumb into the slight dip above his palm. “OK,” he mumbled, smiling again. 

“OK. You ready for the best pancakes you’ve ever had?” Sam asked, a slightly challenging grin on his face, eyes crinkled. 

***********

“Lakiya’s feeling better. Her stats are up. She might even get to go home in a couple of days,” Gabriel said as he thunked the pile of folders down on the nurse station’s counter. He flopped into a rolling chair and let it roll gently into Pamela’s as she tapped away at the computer. 

“Really? Oh, that’s exciting,” Pamela said, pushing away from her desk and shoving Gabriel away. Gabriel let himself roll a little before putting his feet down. 

“Hun, I don’t get why you’re a peds nurse. You’d be just as good in trauma. I think they might pay better too.”

“Too much effort. And the kids are so easy to mess with.” Gabriel laughed as he popped a handful of skittles into his mouth. 

“You need a break.”

“What I need is a good fuck.” 

Gabriel grinned as he thumbed through his phone. It was the night shift, so there wasn’t anyone around to offend. “Actually, we all need a good fuck, Pam-babe.” There were no new messages, but who texted him anyways? And Sam was somewhere in the godforsaken not-here-part-of-the-world. Not like he was waiting or anything. He put the phone down again and opened the closest file. 

“You weren’t looking for texts from a man who is in Iraq were you?” Pam grabbed his phone and Gabriel glared at her. 

“No. Just...”

“He was three months ago, Gabe-y.”

“Best. Sex. Of. My. Life. And he said he’d call.” Gabriel flopped back in his chair. 

“And he still might. In like, four months. Seven months is the average tour. You and I both know that.” Pam’s voice was flat and Gabriel flinched. Pamela knew that too well and so did he. Her husband had died at six months and three weeks. He’d been set to come home but for a damned land mine. He knew because... well, he wasn’t going there.

“I...” Gabriel started. 

“I’m going to check on Peter. He wasn’t looking too hot earlier.” Pamela grabbed a file and stalked down the hallway. Stalked silently, since it was the middle of the night and it was far preferable to not wake the children at that hour or hell might rain down on them. Gabriel turned back to the computer. He had to finish this file or Raphael would ride his ass for a month. Well, he had to finish the next few files. 

***

Sam knew what the worst part of tours in Iraq were. Deciding had only taken him three months this time, but, well, he was positive that it was the long caravan rides between bases. 

“Hey Winchester, you moping about the long ass drive we got? God, you’re such a crybaby,” Brady Thompson shouted at him from the opposite end of the vehicle he was in. 

“If I’m a crybaby, you’re just a sad sack of shit, Brady.” Sam responded, too tired to come up with a half way decent response. “How long you think, til we get there?”

“I dunno, I haven’t been paying attention. See, the smart thing to do is just to imagine some babe’s boobs an’-“ There was no warning. One moment Brady was about to tell him for the fiftieth time about his girlfriend’s breasts and the next Sam was seeing stars and hanging from the ceiling, his arm- his arm was just not right. There was a twist as the vehicle settled and everything was white blinding pain. 

The next thing he knew, he was awake again and there was a ringing in his ears that he hadn’t noticed and the whole world still wasn’t right and Brady was lying broken on the ceiling of their vehicle. That was funny, right? How do you lie on the ceiling of a vehicle? He had to be Superman, Sam thought to himself. He saw dust and trees out of the side of the ruptured vehicle and to the side of him some of his other marines hanging like he was, as if it was the best place to take a nap. Well, if everyone else was doing it, he could too, right?

****

He heard the tell tale squeak of her sneakers, which was the only reason he didn’t jump. “Peter’s fever broke. His parents will be overjoyed. I’ll just be thrilled when he leaves.” Pamela leaned against the other side of the nurses’ station. Gabriel glanced up at her. 

“You know we always have to say goodbye. All the children leave; we just hope they leave under their own steam.” Gabriel said. They stood there, quiet. These quiet moments were his favorite. 

The loud buzz from his phone startled them both and Gabriel nearly dropped the file he’d forgotten was in his hand. He shoved it down and grabbed for his phone. Sam W-Fuck Buddy showed on the screen. “Pamela,” he hissed. He held up the phone, eyes searching out hers. Why was Sam back so early? How the hell? 

“Answer it!” Pamela said, eyes as wide as Gabriel’s felt. Gabriel slid his thumb across the screen, accepting the call. 

“Sam Winchester’s booty call, name the time and place,” Gabriel said, cocky smile in place even if Pam was the only one who could see it.

“Gabriel?” The dark gravelly voice was most certainly not the Sam Winchester Gabriel remembered. 

“Castiel? What...” Gabriel held his phone out, it still said Sam Winchester. He jerked it back in. His eyes sought Pamela’s again, confusion reigning. 

“...gret the surprise. But Gabriel, you are the only one. You must come.” 

“Castiel, brother, you know I’m at work. Why are you calling? Why are you calling on Sam Winchester’s phone? Why do you have Sam Winchester’s phone? How do you know that Sam knows me?”

Gabriel felt his stomach clench up. He was going to be sick, he just knew it. A cool hand slipped on top of the one gripping the edge of the desk, another rubbing his back. Gabriel closed his eyes, silently acknowledging Pamela’s presence. 

“I just found out. Gabriel, you are Sam Winchester’s only local contact. I have attempted to contact his brother, who is deep in training in South America.”

“Uh. What? Castiel, what the hell is going on? Why are you calling on this phone?”

“Gabriel, I regret to inform...”

“You are not calling to tell me Sam Winchester is dead on Sam Winchester’s phone” Gabriel hissed, anger flooding his body as he listened to his brother. 

“I never said Sam Winchester was dead,” Castiel said, sounding bewildered. “Why would you think that, Gabriel?”

Gabriel exhaled, slumping into his seat. “You know, Castiel, you need to work on your people skills. You scared the shit out of me.”

“I apologize.” Castiel remained silent for a moment and Gabriel clenched and unclenched his free fist. “Gabriel, Sam Winchester is under my care. He arrived here tonight from... I cannot say. But he arrived here.”

“What’s wrong with him?” Gabriel blinked as Pamela shook keys in front of his face as she held a phone up to her ear. He snatched them before she took a few steps away. He shoved the keys into the pocket of his olive green jacket. When had he put that on? He was staying at work or Raphael would kill him. 

“His unit hit an IED. He sustained a shattered fibula, cracked ribs and a severe concussion with possible brain damage, as well as some internal bleeding that has been controlled.”

“Is he stable now?” 

“He is. We had him under anesthetic for the surgery when he first arrived, but he should be waking up in another couple hours. We will be able to tell more from...”

“Castiel, stop giving me the crap they give families. Tell me what you feel,” Gabriel barked. 

A pause settled over the phone and then, “Sam Winchester doesn’t know how not to fight.”

“Oh thank god,” Gabriel said, mumbling mostly to himself. He didn’t know why he was this worked up. It was just a two-day stand he’d had several months ago. He wasn’t in love with the man, he barely knew him. And yet, here he was, about to drive helter-skelter across San Diego to get to the man’s bedside. It wasn’t... well, maybe it was. If Cas was calling him, he must have known somehow that this man did not have much of a support system in the area. He was breaking all sorts of rules to be telling Gabe this information. “Is he in the ICU?” If he was there, no way he’d ever get in to see him, he’d just be cooling his heels in the waiting area until family gave express permission. 

“No, he was stepped down almost as soon as he got here. We think he isn’t in any immediate danger of bleeding out or infection. The hairline fracture on his skull does not seem to have produced any secondary damage, although we’ll need to monitor his cognitive ability when he wakes. The field surgeons did a very good job.” 

“OK. I’ll see you soon Cas,” Gabriel ended the call, pocketing the phone. “Pamela...”

“Go. I called Raph, he gave the go ahead. We’re getting one of the rotational residents to come down and lend a hand. They almost know what it’s like to be a nurse.” Pamela reached up and hugged him. “You go see that big lug who wants to date you.” 

“I barely know him. What the hell was Cas thinking, calling me?” Gabriel grabbed Pamela’s offered hand, gripped it tight, stared at her.

“I don’t know, but since it’s Castiel, we know he’s got to have some kind of logical reasoning behind it.” Pamela shook her head. There was no love lost between the two of them, but she put up with him, respected his abilities.

 

******

It felt strange to be parking in the dimly lit parking lot of Mercer-West hospital. It was so different from San Diego Lutheran Memorial Hospital. Well, not really. It was practically identical, with flickering lights, small pools of water and scattered cars of various makes and models. But the small things, like where the door to the emergency area was, where the elevators were and which ones would take you fastest to the floor you needed. The reception of the hospital was... brighter than Lutheran ever was. Starker and less hospitable though. There wasn’t much going on; this time of night there usually wasn’t, not unless gang war fare had broken out. 

The woman at the front desk looked tired and bored. “Excuse me,” Gabriel leaned on the counter, using his most (for this time of night and his level of stress and exhaustion) charming smile. “Would you mind telling me where Dr Castiel Novak might be at the moment?” 

“Dr Novak? Just a moment,” the young woman flashed him a tired smile before tapping at her computer for a moment. “Hmm, well, he’s supposed to be on the surgery recovery ward, but he might be anywhere. Shall I page him for you?”

“That would be great,” Gabriel yawned. “I’ll just be sitting over...over there”. He gestured at the uncomfortable looking chairs. 

“That won’t be necessary,” Castiel’s gravelly voice interrupted them. 

“Gah, when will you learn not to sneak up on people!” Gabriel turned to face Castiel. “I don’t understand how you haven’t given a patient a heart attack yet.” 

“I don’t generally work on people with heart conditions, so your argument is statistically unlikely,” Castiel frowned before turning away and walking back in the direction he’d presumably come from. Gabriel made a face at the receptionist before following. 

They were halfway past the NICU before Cas spoke. “Brother, I am glad you came. This man, he...I find I dislike it when patients wake up alone.”

“What have you done with the Castiel I know?”

“I am the Castiel you know. Unless you’ve met another Castiel?” Cas looked over him and Gabe rolled his eyes. 

“Always so literal. Why call me?” They rounded the corner into another quiet hallway where the surgery recovery area was. 

“I recognized you in his phone.” Castiel paused and pushed a door open. “He should wake soon, we’ve taken him off the anesthetics a couple of hours ago.” Gabriel stepped past him into the room where two men lay quietly in the dark, the closer of which was the tall handsome man he’d met three months ago. His face was misshapen, swollen from his accident, bruises purple and painful, his left leg had a white cast on it and his arms showed several cuts and bruises as well. There was another chair by the head of his bed and Gabriel slid into it. He fiddled with his hands. If he were the nurse here, he’d know exactly what to do, but, well, it had been a long while since he’d sat vigil at someone’s bedside. 

He pulled up his knees and curled awkwardly into the chair, sinking farther into it, letting his eyes sink to half closed. He stayed like that for a long while until there was a rustle of hospital gown on sheet. He jerked up focusing on the prone figure in front of him. There was an arm shifting, trying to lift. Gabriel leaned forward and slipped his hand into Sam’s larger hand, holding it down. He didn’t want the man to jerk and re-injure some of his ribs. A moan escaped the man’s lips and Gabriel found himself stretching his other hand out to brush Sam’s forehead, caressing the man’s stubbly cheek, before laying his hand on Sam’s shoulder. 

“Shh, it’s ok, Sammy,” Gabriel kept his voice quiet. 

“De’n?” 

“It’s Gabriel, kiddo.”

“G’bril?” The man’s forehead cinched together slightly, eyes scrunched shut. “Whu year d’n?” 

Gabriel felt his heart fall into his stomach. He had no idea what the man had just said. “Well,” he started, taking a moment to form his words, “You’re in the hospital and I seem to be the only for miles around who gives a shit if you die or not.” 

“Day?” Sam mumbled, blinked up at him. “‘M not daiad ‘m I?” 

That was fairly easy to figure out. “I hope not. Because then I’d be dead and I’d rather not be,” Gabriel squeezed Sam’s hand again. 

“Kay.” Sam rolled his head to the side, eyes searching the room blearily. “Dean?”

“He isn’t here kiddo. They’re trying to reach him.” 

“Oh. Whey?” Sam’s head rolled back towards his loosely. 

“Cas- Doctor Novak said he tried and that the Rangers said he’s on some sort of ‘deep in the forest’ training exercise and can’t be reached as yet.” 

“Mmm. Thir-tie.” Sam’s tongue flicked out to lick his lips and Gabriel had to roughly tell his libido that now wasn’t the time. 

“Sorry buster. Can you say that again?.” Gabriel flicked Sam on the nose, tried to keep his tone light. He didn’t, couldn’t worry Sam more than he had to, not until Cas-

Sam gave up on speaking and mimed a glass to his lips. Gabriel slapped his free palm to his forehead. “I get it now! And no, sorry, no liquids ‘til Doctor Cas gives the ok.”

“Yer knotter deaton?” Gabriel barked a laugh, unable to keep himself. He would never have been able to tell you this morning that this was where he’d end up by the end of the day.

 

“Do you mean why am I not the one giving the orders?” He asked and at Sam’s small pained nod, he continued. “This isn’t even my hospital,” he admitted. “Besides, I’m not your doctor. That’d be my brother, Dr Novak.” He wasn’t even getting into how he was a nurse, not a doctor. 

“Kay. Sleepy,” Sam mumbled, his eyes fluttering closed. Gabriel stood there for a few moments longer while Sam’s breathing evened out.

*****

The next time Sam came to consciousness, Gabriel paged Castiel. He placed a hand over Sam’s clammy one, silently alerting the man to his presence. Sam flinched and his eyes moved from where they had been staring, in consternation, at the ceiling. “What’s got you down, kiddo?” 

Sam frowned, forehead wrinkling rather adorably in Gabriel’s opinion. He opened his mouth and... well... nothing. Gabriel’s heart hammered, but he’d been in enough similar situations to keep his face neutral. “Ah, buddy, don’t worry about talking right now.” 

“G’br’el?” Sam’s hand twitched up and he grabbed it, stroking the back lightly with his thumb. 

“I’m right here. Doc’s gonna be here soon, he can tell you what’s up.”

“Lop?” He still sounded out of it, as if he wasn’t fully in this room. But his eyes, they were sharp and looking at him, worry lines flaring out around them. Sam had caught on then, to the fact that his words no longer made sense. Gabriel could. -well, he could hope and pray that it was only Sam’s speech that was impeded. And that Castiel got here soon, since he wasn’t sure he could face Sam’s inquisition, even if it was mostly nonsensical to him.

He sat on the edge of the bed; hip nudging into Sam’s abs, twining his hand with Sam’s and let the quiet take over for a moment. “Sammy...”

“Don... don’t lake...” 

“You’re awake.” Castiel’s flat voice sounded as he entered the room, white coat swirling around his scrubs. 

“Whobe?” Gabriel looked back down at Sam and smiled encouragingly. 

“That’s the doc. He’s my brother, Castiel or Cas, and one of the best damn doctors in San Diego.” 

“Kale.” 

“I’m Doctor Novak; your field surgeons in the Marines transferred you into my care. They did a very thorough job.” Castiel spoke as if there had been no conversation between when he’d spoken. Gabriel rolled his eyes. Typical. “I will be examining you now to assess your cognitive function and how your physical injuries are healing. Did you understand what I just said?” Castiel stood in front of Sam, peering down at him. Gabriel loosened his grip on Sam’s hand and stood, out of the way. 

“Sor-ov.” Sam frowned, eyes tightening and his lips thinning slightly. A sharp inhalation followed that. “Rice?” he said finally. 

Castiel marked something down on the chart from the edge of the bed. “Can you tell me your full name?”

“Sa-am Win-Winchester” Gabriel was surprised, he hadn’t expected, given how Sam had been responding, that he’d be able to get his full name so easily. 

“And when were you born, Sam Winchester?” Castiel’s blue eyes didn’t so much as glance at Gabriel. It was as if he wasn’t in the room. 

“May Two Nineteen…Eight-Three” Sam flexed his fingers. “Women I-“

“In a moment, Sam,” Gabriel cut in. “Castiel’s going to have answers in a moment, I swear.” Gabriel glared at his brother, who was, for once, meeting his gaze. He stepped away from the bed, only the light snores from the second bed in the room interrupting the silence. He stopped by the door, not wanting to leave Sam’s sight. “This isn’t bad, considering. I’ve seen cases like this before. Castiel, the language, it’s surmountable, right?” Gabriel looked at his brother. “Tell me the truth.” He almost stepped forward, could feel his body quivering with the desire to do so, trying to intimidate his brother who was never intimidated easily. 

“We can’t know, but you also know that even if he recovers from it, it will be months, probably years before he recovers some semblance of normal. I want to do more tests, Gabriel, to figure out exactly what we’re dealing with here. I don’t want to be hasty, but he seems to understand what we’re saying and his confusion likely comes from waking from anesthesia and the unfamiliar surroundings.” Gabriel’s muscles relaxed and he clapped a hand against Castiel’s shoulder. 

“Fantastic. You are brilliant, little brother. Not as bright a star as I am, but you are quite smart all on your own.” Gabriel grinned before returning to Sam’s side. He smiled brightly and there was that little wrinkle between Sam’s eyes again. 

“Too…hoity.” Sam said, his shoulders tensing as he tried to make himself understood. “Tartt... Nill.” 

“Oh Sammy,” Gabriel said. “I’ll forgive you, since you’re in the hospital, but you should know, my boyfriends do best when they shut up and let me lead.” He winked, shook his head, allowing his dark blonde hair to shake slightly out of place as Sam stared at him in shock before snorting. 

“If you’re done torturing my patient,” Castiel stepped forward. “Sam, you suffered some brain damage in the explosion.” Gabriel linked his fingers through Sam’s, rubbing his thumb along the back of his hand when his fingers twitched. “We think it is minor and mostly takes the form of preventing you from speaking as you might have in the past. Further tests will be conducted to determine the extent of the damage. Additionally, you had some minor internal bleeding, several cracked ribs and a shattered fibula. It is probable you have strained several muscles and have many minor bruises as well. Do you have any questions for me?”

“Uh.” Sam blinked up at him. “D’n?”

“Your brother?” Castiel waited for Sam to jerk his head in an approximation of a nod. “We alerted the rangers and I just heard from him today, a few minutes before you woke.” Gabriel eyed his brother, wondering about the uneasy look passing over his face briefly. 

“And?” Gabriel drawled, breaking the silence that had settled for a moment. 

“Uh, he said he’d be on the next flight. Among...”

“See, Sammy! Dean’s ok and he’ll be here soon.” Gabriel smiled broadly, telling the internal alarms to shut the hell up.

“Kay,” Sammy mumbled, his eyelids fluttering. 

“Sammy boy, I’ve gotta go grab some clothes. If I’m not here when you wake, that’s why.” Gabriel let his instincts take over and leaned over, brushing his lips over Sam’s stubbly cheek. Sam’s lips quirked, but his eyes remained closed and it was only seconds later that his breath steadied out, his head slumping slightly more to the side, face slackening. Castiel was marking things down on his chart. 

Gabriel hooked his hand around Castiel’s elbow and dragged him out into the hallway. “How long?”

“I’m not sure I understand.” 

Gabriel levelled a glare at him. . “Oh, Castiel, think for a moment. Dean. How long until he gets here?”

“Oh. forty eight hours, I think.” Castiel nodded. “He… threatened me. I don’t think I have ever had a patient’s relative threaten me quite like that before.”

“Castiel, you do know he is a Ranger, right?”

“Gabriel, I had to call five different bases with Rangers on them to even locate who to call to call Dean to call me back. Believe me, I know he’s a Ranger.”

“Fine. Whatever. You heard me, brother. I’ve got to get out of these scrubs. I’ll be back in a few hours. I have to call Pam too.” 

“I will be here.”

Gabriel let out a dry laugh. “Of course you will.” 

“I have several tests I would like to run on Sam when he wakes again. I think they might be beneficial.” 

“Yeah, well, you know better than I do. I’m just a peds nurse!” Gabriel clapped his brother on the shoulder before digging a hand into his pocket and grabbing the Snickers bar that had slightly melted with the heat of his body. He needed sugar if he was going to make it home and back without crashing, and Pam wondered how he made it through the twenty four hour shifts they worked on occasion without coffee. 

He flicked through his phone, finding Pamela’s number and pressing call, watching the phone slide to counting time before pressing the phone to his ear. It rang, three times, before the ringing stopped mid buzz and Pam’s breathless voice sounded in his ear. “What’s the story?”

“What, no hello? Where have the social niceties in this world gone,” Gabriel clucked. 

“Well, he’s not dead, right? You wouldn’t be this nonchalant if he was dead, right? I mean, if he’s dead, I can, I’ll go beat the shit out of his superior or something for getting him there.”

“He’s not dead Pam,” Gabriel said, remembering Sam’s eyes as they had realized who was sitting there with him. Confusion, recognition, and possibly a little happiness. It hit him like a train, a punch in the gut, knotting up, his fingers tensing around the wheel and he skidded slightly to the left before he realized he needed to remain in control. 

“Well, that’s great. But you’re gone for hours and you’re only just calling. Obviously something’s off.” Her voice scolded him. “And don’t let it take you over.” 

Her voice anchored him and he took a deep breath, loosening his knuckles. “Jeez, Pam, get right to the heart of the matter, why don’t you.” He rolled his eyes as he swung onto a side street off the four-lane road. He was only a mile or so from his apartment anyways. It wasn’t too much of a loss to take side streets, if it helped stave off the knowledge that he didn’t want to face. Sam needed him. 

“Gabriel.” Pam’s voice was sharp over the phone. 

“I’m fine! Just worried about Sam. He woke up confused, disoriented and…” Gabriel sucked air in. “His language isn’t the best.” 

He turned into the parking lot of his apartment building and swung into his assigned space, throwing the jeep into park and flipping off the ignition. He sat back in the seat, holding the phone up to his ear and twirling the keys in his right hand. The door to his apartment was dark; the whole street was dark. If Gabriel saw poetry in life’s situations, he’d be laughing hysterically now. The dark foreboding street mirroring his dark and angsty mind. 

“Shit.” Well, that summed it up perfectly. Pam was always good at that. He satred at the steering wheel of his car until, “Don’t think I don’t know you haven’t gotten out of your car buster.” Damn. 

“Ballbuster.”

“And proud of it! Get out of the car, Gabriel. This is not then, Sam needs you.”

“No he doesn’t. Castiel just decided I was the only name he recognized and called me.”

“You don’t know why Castiel called you. But I trust his judgment even if I don’t like him much. He’s an ass, but he’s an intelligent ass who likes you and wouldn’t ask you to do something for no reason. Also, get out of the car.” 

Gabriel threw the door open, grumbling under his breath before responding. “He didn’t ask me to do anything.” 

“You know damn well Castiel wouldn’t tell you something without anticipating your probable reactions and deciding if they were useful.”

He did know that, he had to admit as he entered his apartment. His brother always did that. Even when they were kids, he’d never realize when to keep a secret and when to open his mouth. Half the time it was Castiel speaking up that had gotten Gabe in trouble with his parents when he’d needed help, and half the time his parents had never known because Castiel’d held his mouth. He was the most frustrating... Gabriel cut himself off. That was just the way his brother was. “Don’t remind me.” 

 

“Already did. Now. When do I get to meet this big hunk you’ve got hooked around your pinky finger?” Gabriel pulled to a stop as he’d been shucking his shirt into the corner. 

“Ah...”

“Oh, come ON, you’ve talked about him for ages and now he’s laid up in a hospital.” 

“He’s not up to visitors at the moment. Just asking for his big brother, really.” Gabriel switches ears as he drops his jeans. “And I’ve gotta go if I ever want to get back there in time.”

“In time? In time for what?” 

“That’s for me to know and you to never find out. Good night,” he hit the end call button and chucked the phone on his bed before shucking his boxers and walking into the bathroom. He desperately needed a shower if he was going to be sitting vigil in a hospital. 

*****

“So, I swear, the dick didn’t even know what hit him, Sammy.” Gabriel grinned down at the tall man who was half propped up on pillows. The swelling on his face had lessened; there was still a dull yellowing around his left eye and some darker blue along his right jaw line. There was a gauze bandage circling his head, keeping the newly sewn up wound from his surgery in the field, clean. 

“No...” Sam paused and the pause grew, Sam’s brow furrowing. Gabriel reached over and grabbed the man’s good hand, Sam had shouted earlier, words that didn’t make sense. Gabriel’s heart had stayed in his throat for a couple years.

“That’s right Sammy boy. No underwear or pants to be found, in the middle of town.” Gabriel grinned. “Deserved it too, after what he did to Anna.”

“Annaster?” 

“You remembered, I’m so proud.” Gabriel grinned. Sam lifted his hand and thumped it down on Gabriel’s. Gabriel figured that was the man’s current equivalent of punching him in the shoulder. 

“Get offa me, you demon woman!” A loud voice suddenly echoed into their room. Gabriel made to stand up when suddenly Sam was clutching his hand. He glanced back, noticing Sam’s wide eyes. Ok. Clearly someone the man knew. “I don’t give a shit about visiting hours. You _will_ let me in to see my brother or so help me...” Gabriel rolled his eyes. 

Pulling his hand away from Sam, he marched over to the door to take in the sight of Elspeth holding a young, rather handsome man to a wall with a hand. Elspeth was, well, someone Gabriel had learned not to cross very quickly in the last two and a half days since Sam had been admitted. She was big, she was strong and she didn’t take crap from anyone. 

“Well aren’t you just adorable, going all alpha male on the woman who’s helping your brother get better” Elspeth shot him a glare and Gabriel mock raised his hands in surrender. Elspeth _hated_ any intimation that she liked the patients she worked with. She was kind of like a suit of armor surrounding marshmallow fluff, Gabriel mused. 

“Shut the fuck up. I’m here to see my brother and none of you are gonna stop me.”

“Hey, hey, hey, language buddy. I’m just here to help. I’ll be glad to go sit with Sam again and ignore you when you’re tossed out of the hospital.” The taller man had greenish eyes, Gabriel noted, and _freckles._

“You gonna help me or just stand there?”

“You will respect your elders young man,” Elspeth interrupted. She always was one for nonsequiters. He rolled his eyes. 

“Elspeth, I will look after Dean here until he leaves. You trust me right?”

“Why would I trust you?” She spat. “He’s my patient and don’t think you’re allowed in...”

“We both know exactly why I’m allowed to hang around.” Gabriel narrowed his eyes at her and her mouth closed with a snap. “And I’ll watch him. And Sam. Don’t make me find Castiel.” Elspeth stared at him for a moment before stepping back slightly, lip curled in a snarl.

“See? I told you. Nothing can keep me from my brother.” Dean sidled out of Elspeth’s way and around Gabriel before darting into Sam’s room. 

Gabriel followed. There were things Castiel had not yet told Dean and well, it would be funny to watch Dean figure it out. For a moment. 

“Sam!” Dean was across the room in a second, standing over his brother, hands fisting awkwardly. Gabriel leaned against the door jam. It wasn’t his place to interrupt but the man was... volatile. It came with being a ranger. Damp everything down, don’t express emotions, those are for girls and there are no girls in the Rangers, right?

How Sam had been in the Marines, without being as emotionally constipated as this idiot in front of him, was a mystery. He had actually been rather jealous of how self possessed Sam was about how he was feeling.

“De’n” Gabriel stepped to the side, catching a glimpse of Sam’s face, bitch face five. And no, it wasn’t weird to count. The man had a lot of bitch faces. It was part of what had kept Gabriel in Sam’s bed three months ago. Well. Sort of. Mostly, it was the hot sex. 

“You’re gonna be outta that bed in no time, Sammy. Hardly a scratch on you!” Punch to the shoulder. 

That was bitch face thirteen. A new one. Gabriel hid a smile. “Dean, pur...” Sam’s hand clenched and Gabriel found himself standing on the opposite side of the bed from Dean. 

“Relax Samsquatch. I can interpret! You’ll owe me but I think you know exactly how to repay me.” He leered and Sam had the grace to blush and roll his eyes. 

“Ugh gross man. Isn’t there some law against perving on your patient?”

“Oh Sammy boy’s not my patient. Just my lover,” Gabriel purred with a grin, sitting on the edge of the bed and laying a hand on Sam’s thigh (which he probably couldn’t feel all that well, with all the drugs going through his system). 

“Ahhh, don’t _tell_ me that shit!” Dean reared back from him disgusted and Gabriel frowned, looking down at Sam. 

“I didn’t just out you, did I? Samsquatch?” A slight shake of his head. “Good! So it’s just your brother being a bag of dicks. No offense,” he said, without looking at Dean. 

“What the hell, Sam?” 

“And you’re the only reason I’m still clothed.” Gabriel waggled his eyebrows. 

Dean stared, fish eyed for a moment before speaking again. “Dude. You’re in a hospital.” Dean turned towards his brother, face alight in righteous fury, “Sammy, you can’t be letting this man talk about you like that.” 

Sam wrinkled his brow. Gabriel knew what was happening and wished they’d moved along in healing long enough for the speech therapist to have started working with Sam. But they hadn’t, it had only been a week since this had all started, two and a half days since he’d arrived at this hospital. He squeezed the man’s thigh and caught Sam’s panicked eyes. _Take your time,_ he mouthed and there was another tiny nod. “Ssss,” Sam’s hands fisted up, “Ss-ookay.” 

“What’s... Sammy?” Dean was suddenly right up against the bed, leaning over it to be honest. Sam’s eyes closed and his lips thinned, swallowing convulsively. “What the hell, man? Why aren’t you talking right?”

“Fuck, Dean. Get out! You’re upsetting him.” Gabriel stood, moving to push him out of the room and knock some sense into him. 

“No - G’brel”, steel in that voice and Gabriel froze, remembering that tone from when he’d first spent time with Sam. He was all cheer and give until you hit the steel core and then the man was immovable.

“Yeah. _Gabriel_ ,” taunted Dean and Gabriel rolled his eyes. 

“Fffff...” Sam broke off and raising his free hand, flipped his brother off. That shut him up pretty quickly. 

“What’s going on?” Dean finally asked, not looking at anyone in particular. 

Gabriel sighed. “What did Castiel tell you?” 

“Who the fuck is Castiel?”

“That would be me. I’m Sam’s doctor, Doctor Novak.” Castiel stood at the end of the bed. Sam’s brother and Gabriel snorted. 

“Jesus Christ!” Dean jumped, spinning fast to look at the man. 

“I’m not Jesus Christ.”

“What? No, of course you aren’t! What...” Dean went from startled to flustered in the space of a second and Gabriel snorted. He’d long since gotten used to Castiel’s inherent obliviousness to common turns of phrase, pop culture references and, if he was being honest, pretty much everything besides his work and the few people who cared for him.

“Don’t bother. My brother’s never gotten used to colloquial language. Always talks like he’s got a stick up his ass. Don’t you Castiel?” Gabriel smiled affectionately, moving to ruffle the man’s hair. 

Castiel shifted to the side, avoiding his hand. “Gabriel, you are being deliberately rude.” 

“Comes like breathing. You know that. Now, whatcha gonna tell us about Sammy-boy?” 

“Wait... You two are brothers?” Dean shifted his gaze between the two and Gabriel sighed. 

“Can’t you see the family resemblance?” 

“Not really,” Dean said. 

“Probably because we have different mothers.” Gabriel said offhandedly. 

“We don’t share genetic composition unless you count the infinitesimal link that all humans share,” Castiel said. 

“Then, you know what? I give up. You two are the strangest humans on the planet and I don’t know why I have to put up with this shit. Sam’s got to have a real doctor around,” Dean glanced back at the door and Gabriel could see the wheels turning. Slowly.

“You’re going to put up with it because Castiel’s the best doctor around. And you haven’t been putting up with anything. You’ve been kicking and screaming like a three year old since you stepped foot in this hospital.” Gabriel frowned at the man. 

“Sam’s my little brother. He’s all I got. He deserves the best.” There was the desperation again and Gabriel softened. Even if he was an ass and they didn’t get along, Dean loved his brother and Sam needed someone like that. Speaking of, he sat on the edge of the bed and leaned against the man, sending him a small smile.

“Castiel, I thought you explained to Dean what happened.” Gabriel started. 

“I tried, but Dean Winchester hung up as soon as I said Sam and what hospital. He would not let me speak.”

“Jock er.” Sam rasped from the bed. Gabriel turned his head back to Sam just in time to see him rolling his eyes affectionately. 

“Bitch,” Dean says with a grin, his worry seemingly vanished into thin air, unless you looked too closely at his eyes, Gabriel realized. 

“Sam, I...um, I’ve got a shift in a couple hours. I’ll come back after, yeah?” He says, leaning over and brushing his lips against the man’s. He loved how Sam responded even while lying beat up in a hospital bed. “Mmm, miss me, won’t you?” 

“Yes,” Sam even _smiled_ at him and Gabriel felt his heart fill. He didn’t know why, he barely knew the man but here he was at his bedside during one of the hardest points in his life. 

****  
The noise books made when thrown into a wall was totally unsatisfying, Sam decided sitting in his wheelchair. Dean was there, his doctor who had insisted Sam address him as Castiel, and his newly met speech therapist, Jo. Jo had spent the last thirty minutes trying to get him to say Dean in all manner of different ways and Dean being Dean and uncomfortable with all the unintentional attention being directed his way had tried to turn it into a joke. 

“Mr Winchester...” Sam turned to look back at Jo who was pursing her lips,lost in thought as she stared at him and then at Castiel, who was standing just beside Dean. He was staring at Dean. Dean was staring back. Right. Of course. The first time Dean ever starts exhibiting interest in someone of the same sex would be when Sam was prostrate in a hospital bed, unable to even point it out. Figured. “Dean, Samuel’s”

“He goes by Sam.” Dean scowled and Sam’s lips twitched. 

“Do I have to explain _Sam’s_ injuries to you again?” The man’s face was implacable, head slightly tilted to the side as he studied Sam’s brother.  
“I think I understand what’s going on here Doc. I ain’t an idiot just because I’m in the military. It’s Sam who’s the jarhead.” Dean crossed his arms over his chest and lifted his chin, filling the room with testosterone.

When had Sam become a pawn in his own damn life. Oh. Yes. When his best friend died and he’d lost his ability to say anything that actually made sense. Damn his inability to speak. He took the only thing left to throw near him, his pillow, and chucked it as hard as he could at his brother. Too bad it wouldn’t give his brother a concussion and brain damage. He didn’t know how to keep his mouth shut.

“Fuck you, bitch.” Dean crossed his arms. 

“Dean, your brother is severely injured, you ought to be a little more patient. IF this is too frustrating for you, you can go take a walk. Jo Harvelle and I can handle Sam...” Sam studied Castiel. There was something about him that Sam could see dug into his brother, like a missing piece. It reminded him of last week when the two had first met and Gabriel had hightailed it out of there…

_“You know what. Just tell me. Obviously something’s wrong.” Castiel was standing all of six inches from his Dean, which normally would be hilarious, but Sam could hardly breathe. Why hadn’t Cas told him already, why was he finding out now? He was acting like a giant girl, as Dean would say._

_“Your brother’s head trauma has caused some language difficulties.” Dean’s fist was at his mouth and Sam leaned over to punch him in the leg._

_“Ow! Sammy,” Dean glared down at him and Sam smiled. “So. What’s that mean?”_

_“You heard your brother earlier.” Castiel paused, frowning. He turned to Sam. “Forgive me, Samuel, I had wished to tell you on your own, but there was an emergency and then your brother arrived earlier than anticipated. I have not come to a firm diagnosis, as what I believe you have requires a differential diagnosis and I need to call in a colleague who is a speech-pathologist.”_

_“A what?” Dean butted in and Sam hit him in the leg again. “Ow! Fine!”_

_“I believe the head trauma you suffered caused some damage to the speech centers in your brain, causing the trouble you’ve been experiencing when communicating. Since you can form words and appear to understand what people have said… I do not think it is the most severe version you could… experience.” Sam frowned, squinting up at the man. It was becoming rather harder to focus on him. And well, he would quite like to fall asleep at the moment._

_“Tt-tii-tii red” Sam sad, waving a hand generally in his brother’s direction, who grabbed it, for once silent as stone._

_“If you have questions, you may ask later, any of the nurses can find me.” Sam hummed a little and let his head sink deeper into the rather flat uncomfortable pillow._

****

Gabriel looked around his apartment, analyzing it for the first time with an eye to someone who had significant mobility issues. The little coffee table would have to be moved, as it blocked most of the living room. The chairs around the kitchen table would have to be reorganized and kept neatly as opposed to in their usual haphazard positions and he would have to speak to the management about making sure the elevator did not break down. 

And the spare room would have to be cleaned and organized. After all, he wasn’t sure if Sam wanted to sleep in the same bed. If you’d asked him two weeks ago if he would ever consider sharing his apartment, well, his answer would have been shock and dismay. Yet here he was. He shook his head as he shoved the dining table over and picked up the chair he had unintentionally knocked over. 

Sam needed him. Him specifically; it had been a long time since anyone had. Of course, the big moose probably wouldn’t like moving in with him and losing his independence, but since his diagnosis of Apraxia of Speech and the fact that he had a broken leg and cracked ribs, well his mobility would be severely hampered. Was severely hampered. They’d gotten him walking yesterday, he and Dean there to watch and, well, Sam had been exhausted and all he’d been doing was walking to the bathroom so he could have a shower. 

It was only a matter of days before he would be allowed to come home... Here, Gabriel’s home. Sam’s was, well, it was what it was. But it was a walk up. Sam wouldn’t be able to even have a semblance of independent movement in and out of the apartment if he went back there. That’s what he told himself anyways. 

****

Sam scratched unconsciously at his cast, hands unable to stay still. He’d been here in San Diego, in this hospital for a good three weeks, his brother showing up three days in, and barely leaving his side until now. Gabriel had been around as often as his job would let him and Sam was grateful to see him, even if it did mean that Dean sniped low ball comments at Gabriel for unknown reasons, which kept him from fighting with Sam. Sam didn’t have the energy for it and he hadn’t even realized Gabriel had somehow defused or deflected the brothers’ bickering until he wasn’t there this evening. It had come as a shock to realize it when he’d suddenly started bickering over some stupid thing Dean had done. He loved his brother, he really did, but sometimes he was a dense blockhead. He was far quicker to Sometimes, Sam wondered if Dean threw himself into the most dangerous situations he could because he was afraid to face himself. 

“Samuel Winchester.” The low growl of his doctor’s voice surprised him out of his melancholy for a moment. He blinked. 

“Sam.” He sounded out his own name carefully. That was progress. This voice therapist really did know what she was talking about. “Sam.” He repeated, quieter this time. 

“Sam.” The man corrected, stone faced. “I’m about to go off my shift, but Gabriel wanted me to ask if there was anything you needed, that if you were in need of anything _at all,_ that you should tell me and I should fulfill your need.” Castiel was staring at him as if he hadn’t just practically propositioned his brother’s... well; Sam didn’t know what he and Gabriel were. They’d only spent one amazing weekend together. Now here he was a cripple who couldn’t talk and Sam was pretty sure Gabe had put the doctor up to this when Sam couldn’t tell him off. 

“Dean.” Sam paused, unconsciously scrunching up his face in concentration as his doctor’s blue eyes bored into him, patiently waiting whatever it was he was going to say. “F- _fight_ ”. He gestured towards himself. “Bar.” Sam huffed, frustrated at his inability to communicate what needed to be said. 

“Your brother, Dean Winchester, you fought with him. He has…retreated to a…bar?” Castiel was staring at him and Sam sighed. He didn’t know how or why, but Castiel - Doctor Novak - always seemed to know what he was saying. Dean had so much trouble, it was probably why they’d been fighting anyways and Gabe was better after a couple days of listening to him, but sometimes he didn’t listen. 

Sam nodded. “You.” He stared at his doctor, willed the man to understand what he meant. “You.” He repeated himself. 

Doctor Novak looked at him for a long while and Sam searched for a way to make his voice communicate what he meant. “You youu... B-Dean. Ba-Bar.” He really did need to do those exercises his speech therapist had given him. Even if they sounded ridiculous. 

“You wish for me to follow Dean to the bar. How am I to know which bar? I imagine there are several around here.” The man wasn’t even putting up a fuss about using his (probably minimal) down time to search out the brother of one of his very many patients. Whose brother hadn’t even been particularly kind or even polite to the man. 

“S’D-Dean. Chair. Heap. Cleat.” Sam played with the sounds a little as he stumbled to get his message across.

“That doesn’t clarify anything for me.” 

Sam huffed, feeling laughter bubble up in him, threatening to pour out of him. “G’br’el. Call. Calll. A Ah- Ask. Assssk. Kuh.” 

Castiel nodded once, pulling out his phone as he swept out of the room again, leaving Sam to twiddle his thumbs and stare at the ceiling. 

*****

“So, what’s lover boy up to today?” Pamela flopped down next to him at the nurses’ station, bright green scrubs and neon orange keds glaring at him. 

“I think he’s practicing G’s.” 

“He’s gonna be rich, then, ain’t he?” She chortled a little. 

Oh, ha, ha.” Gabriel signed off on some form or other and turned to face his best work friend. “He’s actually getting quite a bit better. They’re letting him out day after tomorrow…” He trailed off as he realized that he was actually going to have to convince him that Gabriel’s apartment was a far better choice. It wasn’t like Sam could maneuver stairs yet, not to mention the whole language thing. 

“You still haven’t asked? What the hell were you thinking, Gabriel?” Pam pulled a face at him and he stuck his tongue out. “You have to ask tonight, Gabriel.” 

He glared at her. She stared right back. A moment’s pause, then “Fine! Fine. You win. I’ll do it.” 

“Great! Then you should probably know your shift ended five minutes ago.” 

“I... what?” Gabriel glanced at the computer’s clock. So it had. 7:05pm. Huh. 

“Go get ‘em boy.” 

“I’m not a boy, Pammy.” Gabriel said as he gathered his phone and wallet. He’d change in the dressing room. 

“And I’m not a three year old. But that doesn’t stop you from calling me one.” Gabriel rolled his eyes. She called him a three year old far more often. “Goodbye, Pam.”

“Make sure you promise him lots and lots of sex!” She called after him in a loud whisper. He pretended not to hear her. He’d probably follow her advice, but he didn’t want her to _know_ that. 

A half hour later, he stood outside of Sam’s hospital room, listening to the quiet rumble of Dean’s voice and the stilted replies from Sam. He was getting better; he was actually able to communicate what he wanted to communicate. Sometimes. And of course, you had to have Castiel the magic translator around to get more than the gist of what he was saying sometimes, but Jo said it was a shock he’d gotten to this level already. 

He stepped in. “Sammy moose, I’ve been looking forward to this moment _all day_ , if you know what I mean,” he winked at Dean who wrinkled his face in disgust, “and I think you do.” He leaned down, kissing Sam briefly. 

“Hel-lo,” Sam said, a slight smile on his face. Gabriel’s soul lifted, and he found himself grinning back. 

“Hi.” 

Sam grabbed his hand and he squeezed it, staring into the man’s brown eyes until the pesky older brother coughed loudly, obviously. Gabriel rolled his eyes. “And how was your day, Deano?” 

“Oh, it was fantastic.” Dean sat slumped in his chair. 

“That hangover treating you well?” 

“Fuck you too.” 

“Perfectly, I see then,” Gabriel said with a grin, remembering when Castiel had called him last night, asking all sorts of odd questions about shifty bars. It hadn’t made any sense until his brother had admitted that Sam had asked him to go after Dean. Then it had just been plain hilarious. 

“Cas - Day. Leaf?” 

“Right! I almost forgot.” Gabriel said. Sam glared. “Ok, not really.” 

“So? Cas said when Sammy here gets to leave? He let it slip to you?” 

“End of day Thursday.” Gabriel said, smiling at Dean who, for once, returned it with a grin of his own.

“T-t days tuuhh days.” 

“That’s right, Sammy boy, two days.” Gabriel inhaled. “Listen, you’re still going to be pretty immobile once they let you get outta here. I was thinking… your apartment, there’s no elevator and Dean here can’t be babysitting you all the time, right? So, why don’t you stay with me for a couple weeks, ‘til that leg of yours heals enough to handle stairs?” Gabriel studied his hands. 

“I can so!” Dean protested, standing in a fluid motion. 

“And what about when you have to go back to the Rangers? I’m shocked they’ve let you stay this long.” Gabriel barely spared a glance for Dean, instead focusing his energy on reading Sam’s expressions. 

Which were... about as he expected. Surprised. Annoyed. Bitch face twenty quickly followed by four. “Nn Nno.” 

“Why not, Sammyboy?”

“T-t-toooo much.” Gabriel leaned over and grabbed the whiteboard Castiel had been brilliant enough to leave around yesterday, handing it silently to the man who took it, grimacing. Gabriel turned his attention back to Dean for the moment as Sam wrote out what he wanted to say. 

“So when did the Rangers give you ’til?” Gabriel asked, smirk solidly in place. 

“Fuck you.” 

“I prefer your brother. And that soon, then, huh?” Gabriel rolled his shoulders, shrugging off the tension. 

“What do you know about family leave?” Dean said, sarcastically. 

“Way more than I ever cared to learn.” Gabriel took the white board and looked down. _You’ve done too much already, I can’t ask you to give up your space too. I’ll manage._

“Sammy boy, you’re fun to be around. I’m a nurse! My apartment’s big enough for the both of us, there’s even a second bedroom. Well, it’s a study right now, but it’s _meant_ to be a second bedroom. I’ve dusted off the futon and everything! Come on, say yes.” 

Sam frowned again, - _bitch-face 13,_ before scribbling on the dry erase board. _I’d be a burden. We’ve barely dated. I don’t know why you’re doing this all for me._ Gabriel laid a hand down, caressing Sam’s upper arm. He knew this conversation was coming, but he’d been avoiding it. 

“Ugh. You know what, you saps figure your shit out. I’ll be back later when my brother stops being a girl. See ya Sammy.” Dean was out of the room in about one second flat. Gabriel quirked an eyebrow at Sam who snorted, showed his whiteboard again: _Can’t handle emotions. They’re not ‘manly’._

“I always knew you were the right pick between you and your brother.” Gabriel hummed slightly to himself as the scratching of the marker on the whiteboard filled the room. 

_You didn’t meet my brother until last week. And you haven’t answered my question!._

“You’re a persistent ass, you know that?” Gabriel asked. “Well, your ass is quite cute…” He trailed off for a moment, trying to find the words. “The way you treated me, it reminded me how good people can be just when I’d given up on anyone beyond my closest friends and family. Now, now, don’t go looking so shocked, I can pretend to like people just as much as anyone, thank you. You were good for me.” He wriggled his eyebrows. Sam snorted. “And someone else did something for me that I need to repay and... Well, I can’t repay it to him, so I have to pay it forward.” Gabriel stared at the ceiling for a moment, letting the wave of emotions crash through him, willing his eyes to stay dry. 

There was a tugging on his arm. _But why ME?_

Gabriel laughed, letting his emotions go, feeling the laughter ripple through his abdomen and shake his shoulders. At Sam’s touch on his knee, he met the man’s eyes and felt his world go still and quiet. It was funny, how that switch could flip with hardly any notice. “Because you noticed me.” _Bitch-face number six_. He really would have to trademark these. 

“Ww what?” 

“Aw, Sammy, don’t make me say it!” He stuck his bottom lip out, exaggerating a pout. Sam stared at him. He rolled his eyes. “Look, I’m not telling you everything about my life because even if you’re moving in with me for a bit, you don’t get that yet,” he shook a finger in Sam’s face, “but let’s just say I was wallowing in the memories of an incredibly awful part of my life so I went to that bar, the bar tender turned me down and then you walked in and as soon as you did, everything started… picking up.” 

_Stop with the terrible innuendos!_

“Never. And just to be clear, I’m paying forward a gift that was given to me. And it’s a temporary solution until you’re mobile enough and coherent enough to function on your own. So don’t go getting ideas about staying forever... Though if you ask nicely…” Gabriel waggled his eyebrows. A snort. He did so love how expressive Sam could be. 

“Basically, you’re not going to be much of a burden on me and your brother’s gonna have to go back to wherever it was he was and we can’t have you immobile. And you’ll be helping me pay it forward in a spectacular fashion. Just say yes already, Sammy.”

A grimace and then the scratching of the pen. _Fine. As long as you never call me Sammy again._

“Deal. As long as I can use any other nickname. Because I wouldn’t be myself if I didn’t have creative awesome nicknames.”

“Fffine.” 

“Then it’s settled.” 

_So long as we both know this is temporary and that I am not trying to mooch off of you._

“Duh.” Gabriel grinned and Sam smiled back at him. 

******

Gabriel collapsed down onto his couch, moved to put up his feet on this coffee table before realizing he’d moved it far enough away so Sam could maneuver on his crutches. He let his legs fall to the floor instead. The clink of the crutches came closer and Sam carefully lowered himself onto the couch as well. Dean was standing by the edge of the kitchen, beer (That Gabriel had provided, thank you very much) in hand talking to Castiel. Well. Dean was rambling and Castiel was standing, as he was wont, far too close. Gabriel had tried, but Castiel had never learned. Yet Dean didn’t seem too bothered. Speaking of. 

“Hey Dean, you never said... What’d you think when Castiel here showed up at whatever hole in the wall you found the other day?” Gabriel took a swig of his own beer. 

The reaction was even better than anticipated. Dean choked mid swallow on the beer, nearly spraying it all over Castiel. The man had shown up the next day with a black eye and seemed to be favoring his left shoulder. Gabriel had opened his mouth to ask then, only to be stopped by a severe poke in his side from Sam. 

“Dean was drunk when I arrived at the correct bar. He was engaging in what I believe is typically called a ‘bar brawl.’ I pulled him out of it and we left.” Castiel spoke up. Gabe’s eyebrows rose. Castiel avoided conflict usually, finding it a troubling reminder of their shared past. That he would spend more than a second watching a fight was remarkable.

“Dean…” Sam said, frowning. 

“Yeah Sammy, I know.” Dean crossed his arms. “Can’t do anything now it’s over, right?” 

Gabriel shifted uncomfortably. 

“So! How about we watch a movie? I’ve got about a million.” Gabriel grinned into the tense silence that had fallen over them. There was a chorus of yes’s and he sighed a breath of relief. 

*****

The door closed behind Dean as he shouted one more: “Sure you’ll be ok?” through it. Gabriel sighed, slumping back against the door. Sam leaned on his crutches in front of him, arched eyebrows. 

“Spatial bugger.” 

“Yes, Sam. I’m a social butterfly.” Gabe didn’t know why he knew what the man was trying to say, but he did. “But, pardon my French, thank fuck they’re gone.” 

“Sexy tomes…” Sam frowned and Gabriel felt a smile grow, bubbling up in his chest. He snorted. 

“Well… I can’t say no to an offer like that. But I have a feeling you meant that you were sleepy?” Gabriel stepped forward, running a hand over Sam’s face, over the stubbly hair that was just starting to grow out again and trailing down his chest. “Mm, Samsquatch, I ever tell you just how sexy I find your chest?” He looked up at the man with a slight smile. 

“You.” A pause. “Yes.” 

“Yes to what, Sam?” Gabriel asked, leaning up to steal a kiss, just a brush of lips. Sam smiled lightly and followed him down, kissing him again, deepening the kiss, tongue demanding entrance that Gabriel gladly gave. He hummed a little, deep in his throat before breaking apart. 

“Don’t want your arms to fall asleep...” Gabriel waggled his eyebrows before turning and making his way to his bedroom. “Might have use for them yet!” Sam’s exhaustion showed as he followed on his crutches. He’d become proficient quite quickly, but... well, it had been a very long day. 

As soon as Sam was sitting on his bed, looking rather distinctly out of place, Gabriel moved again, closing the door and taking Sam’s crutches and putting them by the side of the bed he never slept on. Moving back, he saw Sam trying to remove his shirt. Gabriel stopped him, kissing him lightly as he stood over him. Not that there was much of a height difference now that Sam was sitting (He had an unusually tall bed in his defense). 

He grasped the edge of Sam’s t-shirt and pulled it up slowly, letting his knuckles graze Sam’s abs, neatly missing the areas where he’d had stitches in until recently. Sam raised his arms obediently and Gabriel pulled his shirt off before helping him wiggle his way back onto the bed, taking the loose pajama pants that were the only thing he currently owned that fit around his cast as they went. He crawled over Sam, letting the man lie still. He wasn’t totally asleep though, Gabriel could tell from the half erect cock pressing up at Sam’s boxers. He straddled Sam’s stomach and leaned down to thoroughly kiss him, shamelessly brushing his own cock against the taller man’s stomach, letting the sensations shoot through him. This was exactly where he was supposed to be. 

 

There were flashes of light, spatters of blood in the room and Sam couldn’t control his breathing, gasping, sucking at the thin air, trying not to inhale smoke instead of oxygen. There was a fire in the next room and Brady was standing in the doorway, the flames licking at his feet, his hands. He was practically on fire and Sam shouted for him to get away, but his best friend just looked at him as if it was Sam’s own damn fault. He looked over to see Gabriel sleeping peacefully and tried to get out of bed only to find he didn’t have legs. He shouted for Brady to move but no noise came out of his mouth. Brady’s hand slowly raised and Sam suddenly collapsed into a ball of pain, like a burning knife was thrust into his side. Someone was shouting his name, but it wasn’t Brady. No. He choked, sobbed and then he was awake, gasping, sucking in air. 

There wasn’t any smoke in the air, just a quiet dark room and he focused on the ceiling fan, watching it drift lazily around. Slowly, he became aware of the fact that his hand was encapsulated in someone else’s hands and there were quiet words being spoken. He turned his head to see Gabriel sitting in the bed, holding his hand and speaking softly, as if he would spook at the first loud noise. He moaned a little and Gabriel smiled a sad little smile that drew Sam farther from his night terror into the evening. 

“Do you wanna talk about it, Sam?” Gabriel’s voice was quiet, serious and Sam almost said yes but then something stuck in his throat and he remembered that words weren’t his friend and he couldn’t. He _couldn’t_ talk about Brady yet. So he kissed Gabriel instead, ignoring the way that the salt of his tears dripped down his face, infiltrated his kisses. 

*****

Sam vaguely heard the alarm go off the next morning before the loud slap of a hand knocking into wood and plastic, shutting the noise off and mumbled cursing before a lithe body slid up to his, hand coming to rest on his pectoral muscles. 

“Good morning Sam-a-lam.”

“Every...” Sam felt the truth crash over him as he heard his mouth say something completely differently from what he’d told it to say. He breathed in, raising his free hand to pinch the bridge of his nose. 

“Out through your mouth,” the voice was quiet, the hand rubbing on his chest lightly. He let the air sail out of his lungs, letting his eyes open slowly, finding a pair of hazel eyes looking at him seriously. 

“Gab-ay” A smile slid over the man’s face. 

“That’s me!” He said while leaning over and brushing his lips across Sam’s. “Now, I have to go to work today. I’ll try and leave as soon as I can, but my shift’s twelve hours.” He was standing, walking towards the attached bathroom before he turned back. “Feel free to go back to sleep.” 

It seemed like only moments later when his eyes snapped open to stare at the empty space on the bed next to him, a slightly crumpled piece of paper tented up on the pillow with his name written on it. He snatched it up. 

_Sam, you were sleeping when I got out of the shower (someday, we’ll have to try one of those together, maybe when the rest of your stitches come out!). There should be plenty of food in the refrigerator, feel free to use my TV or watch any of my movies. You can find my internet password by the router. I’ll try and be home as quick as I can. - Gabriel_

_PS The sex last night before we went to sleep was great kiddo. Would love to try it again soon._

_PPS If you ever want to tell me about Brady, I’ll be there in a flash._

Sam sat up slowly, staring at the room with more interest than he could have mustered last night. He had been distracted and then completely exhausted. His body ached in all the right places. If you didn’t count the lingering pain and sharp twinges in his side from his healing ribs. He hobbled around the apartment on his crutches, almost grateful that his injuries slowed him down. It allowed him to _really inspect_ the intricate details of Gabriel’s apartment. Like his book collection (Sparser than Sam would ever have let a collection get), his DVD collection (far larger than Sam had ever had) and his kitchen (actually rather impressive). The TV was drool-worthy and Sam had spotted a few gaming consoles as well. He eased himself onto the couch and looked around, wondering what the hell to do with himself. It was strange, knowing he was in San Diego but not in his own apartment. 

Gabriel had gone above and beyond what had been expected of him by bringing him into his own home. They’d been a weekend fling and while Sam had wanted more, he hadn’t wanted to expect more, especially with his occupation.. It was…humiliating that he couldn’t go to his own apartment. But he could barely get around on his crutches, stairs were a no go as yet and his brother, despite protests, would have to return to service soon. Honestly, he wasn’t entirely sure how Dean’d gotten the time in the first place and he wasn’t going to ask. And well, sex was another plus. There was something between them; the sex was better than he’d ever experienced. Even with a broken leg and cracked ribs (which were healing well, thank you very much). 

He spent most of the day making his way through a TV series Gabriel had tucked away behind some of his extensive movie collection. It was a cop procedural, violent but not graphic. He hadn’t expected to like it all that much, but apparently he did because the next thing he knew, he could hear the scrape of the key in the lock and Gabriel entering his apartment, talking to someone, a woman. Sam struggled to push himself up on his crutches as the footsteps rounded the corner into the living space. Gabriel and a woman with smooth lightly tanned skin and dark hair that was currently held back in a bun. 

“Well, look at you. Gabriel said you were a looker and he wasn’t kidding.” The woman laughed, a full throaty laugh that startled Sam into smiling back. 

“Sammy... I couldn’t keep her away. Pam, this is Sam, Sam, Pam. I’ll let you two have fun with your names; I’m too pooped to say the right thing.” 

“Pets.” Sam pulled a face. Days alone allowed him to forget that he couldn’t talk, not really. He had some words, but his comprehensible vocabulary was that of about a one year old. Pathetic. 

“That’s right Sam, I’m Pam. Now, I was telling Gabe-boy here all about how you ought to learn sign language and teach Gabriel.” 

Sam hmmed, startled by how up front the woman was. “Wow, Gabriel, strong and silent, how’d you get so lucky?” the woman asked as she shrugged off her purse and hung it absently on the coat rack, tank top riding high, baring a strip of tan toned skin and a hint of a tattoo as she turned away from him. His eyes widened and flew back to Gabriel. 

“Ok, you told him Pammy. Now you promised me a sweet treat!” Gabriel whined. 

“And I shall deliver. Gabriel, may I present you the sweetest treat of all, the man currently standing in front of you.” Sam hadn’t known he could blush more. 

“Paaaaaaaam,” Gabriel groaned. “You know what I interpreted that as. Why are you being awful?” He glanced over at Sam, a half grin on his face that couldn’t help but make Sam brighten up a little. “No offense Samsquatch, you are delicious and I plan on eating you up later.” A waggle of eyebrows had Sam going right back to scarlet. He hadn’t blushed this much since Susie Taylor had asked him out in the fourth grade. 

****

Time passed quickly, hours into days. Sam had really taken to sign language, even as Gabriel hadn’t, so the language gap was still there. It was getting better; the speech therapist came to Gabriel’s apartment to help him. Sam was completely convinced that Gabriel had either called in some huge favor or threatened her in some drastic way, despite both of them denying it and saying this was standard treatment, She’d told him on her second visit that he was improving rapidly, far beyond expectations. He was now consistently getting the words a two year old would say out and he was working on multiple syllable words sometimes. Gabriel usually spent his long days at the hospital and while Sam was lonely, he couldn’t blame him for his job. It was demanding and tiring. Dean came over sometimes, took him for rides in the Impala. Neither of them mentioned it except when Gabriel had forced it into the open at the hospital and Dean had slunk into his room later to tell him the exact date he was expected back, but Dean would be taking off back for parts unknown in less than a week. Something in Sam broke, wanting desperately to be back in Iraq where he was needed, useful. He didn’t begrudge Dean his service, but sometimes the jealousy that wracked his body made it difficult to breathe. 

Pam sometimes showed up after work with Gabriel, but she usually only practiced signing with Sam (crude teasing remarks that were actually funny if he didn’t take offense).She stayed for a little while, had a beer with them and then took off. Castiel had even shown up once or twice, causing Sam to stand there awkwardly as Castiel studied him, no sense that his staring was off-putting. Dean had been there both times and both times seemed to have sensed Sam’s discomfort and had dragged the man off for ‘drinks to loosen you up’ or some shit, after an hour. 

Castiel went willingly enough, even as Gabriel remarked that his brother-in-arms never drank. Sam sat up, realizing he’d heard Gabriel’s car pull into the assigned parking space out front. The car had a distinct… rattle that Sam had been trying to get Gabriel to get fixed, but, well, it hadn’t happened yet; then again, they’d only been sharing the space for a week and a half now. He had plenty of time to work on the man. He’d expected Gabe to have appeared already but the door hadn’t opened yet. He pulled himself up with his crutches and hobbled over to the front door, unlocking and pulling it open to see Gabriel sitting in his car, staring at nothing, just sitting there. He’d never seen the man sit so still. Carefully leaving the door open, he made his way over to the car and lowered himself into the passenger seat. The man hadn’t seen him coming, not until he’d opened the door. 

“Sam, what’re you doing out here?” Gabriel frowned. “No pulled stitches or anything? I told you, you can text or call me anytime if something goes wrong.” 

“No - no thh thing. Seersucker.” Sam frowned, almost amused by the word that had just come out of his mouth. “Ssss. Eyes.” He finally settled on, gesturing to his own and then pointed at Gabriel. “Car.” 

“Oh. Yeah. That.” Gabriel laughed, almost fooling Sam with his light tone. Something was wrong though, Gabriel’s eyes weren’t laughing. Gabriel’s eyes always laughed when he found something funny. “Just plotting how best to surprise you. Your expressions are the best. See?!” Gabriel tapped Sam’s nose. “Exactly like that.” 

Sam shook his head. “No.” He dug into his pocket, pulling the tiny notebook he kept on him and the pen with it. _You were sitting out here in your car for five minutes. What’s up?_

“Nothing, I already told you! Can’t you just leave it alone for fuck’s sake?” Gabriel snapped, leaving the car in a flurry and slamming the door behind him. Sam blinked. That had been rather unexpected. He knew Gabriel had a sharp tongue, but he’d never had it used against him. He followed slowly, letting the silence drape heavily over the two of them for the evening. That evening was the first one Sam chose to sleep in the guest room, letting Gabriel dictate the terms. Even if it wasn’t like any fight he’d ever been in before: maybe only because of his lack of ability to communicate, but now it was still a fight and he’d pissed Gabriel off. 

He woke in the middle of the night to Gabriel crawling into the bed with him, still quiet, but kissing him frantically and Sam let him, didn’t question it, just let the small blonde man overwhelm him. It was the first time he bottomed for Gabriel, but Sam knew he wanted it again, wanted that release of giving up and trusting, trusting that he was cared for, wanted. 

***

Things went back to what had become normal after that, Gabriel helping him run his errands, Castiel dropping by occasionally, Pam teasing him. Dean had left and Gabriel had driven him home in the Impala, with many stern threats on Dean’s part about what would happen to Gabriel if he so much as scratched his baby. When Gabriel found out that Dean and Sam’s dad had basically raised them to go into the military and they’d never really gotten to do the typical childhood things: go to random movies at three in the afternoon, spend all day lazing about, go to the zoo, Gabriel started doing that for him. 

Sam received his first disability check from the Marines about a month into his time with Gabriel. It was getting close to the time where he was going to get a walking boot. He hadn’t gotten much beyond small words in his therapy, but his therapist continued to say that he was improving very quickly. 

After Sam had, to put it lightly, flipped out because it hadn’t seemed like it, the therapist had explained just how slowly most people improved from these kinds of injuries. That had been a reality check, if a frustrating one. Gabriel had sat with him after, held his hand as Sam raged, incoherent words and thoughts spilling from his lips until Sam started sobbing, wild in his pain, his grief, his trauma at seeing his best friend die, his fear now that Dean would die because Sam wasn’t there to take care of him. Gabriel had smoothed Sam’s hair, brushed the tears away and let Sam work his way through it. 

Gabriel had walked into the apartment with the mail in hand. Sam had been experiencing some rather severe pain, which he’d been warned about and had been trying to move as little as possible. He held one particular piece of mail addressed to Sam, a funny expression on his face. Sam had taken it and opened it, casually tucking the check into his wallet so he could deposit it when he and Gabriel went out to lunch on Gabriel’s next day off. 

“That’s it?” Gabriel asked suddenly. “What, they just gave you a check and you’re just hiding it away in your wallet?” 

 

“Uhmm, yes?” Sam said, frowning. “Port balm?” 

“No, it’s not a _problem_. Just thought it deserved more care than tossing it into your wallet. I mean, the government’s compensating you because you got hurt.” Gabriel crossed to the kitchen, banging around in the drawers before pulling out a candy bar, unwrapping it and biting down. Sam stared, bewildered. There was clearly something more to this story. 

“G’brel” He finally said, pulling himself up to lean on his crutches right in Gabriel’s space. “Tall me.” 

“I…” Gabriel’s hands clenched and loosened forcibly. “No.” Gabriel gathered himself. “You need to leave it alone. Stop asking me to talk. I _can’t._ ” Which was all Gabriel said on the subject. He tried asking Castiel, who only told him that Gabriel would tell him if he wanted Sam to know. Pamela just changed the subject, a wary look coming into her eyes. Sam decided to let it lie for the time being. 

***

It’s when he gets his walking boot that things change. Pam comes over one night and Sam’s practicing signing with her, she says she learned back when she was in college to talk to a cute boy, they’d lasted a couple of years, which is why she was still pretty fluent. He was proud of himself for a moment when he makes her laugh using a sign language joke until Gabriel butts in, wanting to know what the joke was at which point he sets his jaw. The man had barely tried to learn, so he turns away and watches the tv, letting Pamela attempt to translate it second hand. 

Later, when they’re in bed together, breathing hard, heart rates pounding, sweating, Gabriel lets loose on him. “What the hell was that about, Sam?” If Sam’s picked up one thing, it’s that Gabriel never uses his real name unless he’s annoyed or tetchy in some way.

Sam signs _sex_. 

“Exactly!” Gabriel says, sliding out of the bed to stand looking down at him. Sam crooks himself up on his elbow, frowning. “You can’t just sign stuff at me when you know I don’t understand. You have to _communicate_.” 

Sam rolls his eyes. “Try.” He finally says quietly. 

“I did! Sammy, you have to know, I did.” Gabriel stands there with a pleading look on his face and Sam melts a little. 

He grabs the pad and pen from the bedside table. _I’m sorry. Signing is so much easier than talking. I wish you could._ Sam frowns. He really doesn’t want to fight with Gabriel right now. Gabriel kisses him on the forehead and slides back into bed, cuddling in. They don’t say a word. 

Five days later, when Castiel is there, Sam tries another joke. It doesn’t go over nearly as smoothly, mostly because, Sam thinks, Castiel deliberately ignores humor. Gabriel still wants to know and Sam rolls his eyes. Gabriel has to know _everything._ They don’t talk for a couple hours and when Gabriel confronts him, Sam blows up a little. 

_If you want me to tell you everything, why don’t you try telling me what keeps you frozen in your car or over the stove as if you were in a different world? You’re keeping things from me and you want me to tell you everything?_ Gabriel slams out of the room at that without a word. Sam doesn’t see him for a day and when he texts Castiel, he barely gets a response beyond that Gabriel is physically alive and well. 

He texts Gabriel twenty four hours into his absence. It’s odd, that he’s the one who was walked out on when this isn’t even his apartment. Maybe that’s the crux of the problem, that Gabriel doesn’t want him here anymore. He starts packing his bags. 

Gabriel shows up two hours later, hair dripping from the rain and when he sees Sam’s bags packed, his lips tighten and Sam’s heart clenches. He thinks he’s falling in love with the man, but there’s something… broken between them and he can’t live here and fix it. 

He runs a hand along Gabriel’s face, who turns into his hand, brushing his lips against Sam’s palm. “We’re so broken.”

Sam nods. He gives Gabe his already written note. _I want us to work and I think this is making us fall apart. We need to have a foundation before we build the house._ Gabriel reads it, folds it, unfolds it, reads it again. He looks up at Sam and leans up, kisses him deeply. 

“I understand. There are things, things I have to tell you, but I _can’t_ , not right now. I need help.” Gabriel admits and Sam gets it, because he does too. He’s broken from what happened in the Marines, broken from how he was raised. He scrawls down on his notepad. _Dinner at my apartment, tomorrow?_ He takes a breath and speaks. “Please. G’brel.” 

“How can I say no?” Gabriel says spreading his hands before taking Sam’s and leaning up to kiss him. Sam falls into the kiss, falls into this man who caught him with one chance look in a bar.


End file.
